Wednesday, August 29, 2012

National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness

(Google Image)

By
Nurse Diane

I recently saw an old rerun of a Law and Order Special
Victims Unit on the TV the other day.
The case involved a woman who was pregnant, and she was an
alcoholic. She was seeking a divorce
from her husband; however her husband, concerned for the life of his unborn
child, filed a protective order against the mother to prevent her from
consuming alcohol and risk damaging the baby.
The police officer, who was also a friend of the mother even, took the
woman to the house of a child who suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. This didn’t have an impact on the mother and
she was eventually locked up in prison, for her own wellbeing and the wellbeing
of her baby.

(Google Image)

I don't watch any of those reality television shows,
however there are a few of them that concern me. One is 16 and Pregnant, the other is Jersey
Shore, where one of the main characters, Snooki, is pregnant. These shows influence the populations of
young girls who idolize these shows. Being pregnant carries alot of
responsibility, and if you are portrayed on a reality show, there is even more
responsibility to display proper care for your life and that of your unborn
child.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a disorder that has no
cure. There are many signs and symptoms including:

Abnormal facial
features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is
called the phylum)

Small head size

Shorter-than-average
height

Low body weight

Poor coordination

Hyperactive behavior

Difficulty paying
attention

Poor memory

Difficulty in school
(especially with math)

Learning disabilities

Speech and language
delays

Intellectual
disability or low IQ

Poor reasoning and
judgment skills

Sleep and sucking
problems as a baby

Vision or hearing
problems

Problems with the
heart, kidneys, or bones

While there may not be a cure, it is 100%
preventable. The only way to prevent
this disorder is to refrain from drinking alcohol while pregnant. Each year there are 40,000 babies born with
Fetal Alcohol disorders. You can help by
letting expectant mothers know about the harm they are causing their babies
when they drink.